IBEW New England, IBEW Local 2213 and CWA District 1 Regional Bargaining Committees resumed negotiations with Verizon today at the Rye Town Hilton in Rye, NY.

The Regional Bargaining Committee spent much of the day reviewing the data the Company provided based on our information request regarding Healthcare and Pensions. We passed numerous proposals to Verizon at the Regional and Local bargaining tables.

Tomorrow, the Company will be giving another presentation on healthcare beginning at 9 a.m.

Strike Authorization Votes are being held in all locals over the next few weeks with the ballots to be counted by the July 15th.

There are two upcoming rallies that members should make every effort to attend. The first is in New York City on July 25th at the Verizon Headquarters located at 140 West St. the rally will begin at 11:00 a.m. The second will take place in Boston on Thursday, July 30th at 6:00 p.m. located at 6 Bowdoin Sq.

The IBEW System Council T6 and CWA District 1 Regional Bargaining Committees met with the Company today at the Rye Town Hilton in Rye, NY.
In the morning session we were given a presentation on the utilization of the Medical and Prescription plans. We received some data from the Company pertaining to healthcare and continued our questioning on the topic.

We met again in the afternoon and continued our discussion on healthcare utilization. At this time the bargaining team requested more information specifically on prescription drugs and compound drugs.

This evening we had another session where we exchanged additional proposals with the Company.
Local New England bargaining also continued this afternoon and this evening. The Company has passed a few proposals and the local bargaining committee continues to pass proposals and request data.
The Local bargaining team will meet in the morning to continue discussions.

IBEW NY/NE and CWA District 1 NY/NE Regional and Local Bargaining Teams met with the Company today at the Rye Town Hilton in Rye, NY. The Regional Committee presented proposals to the Company including a proposal to eliminate all Contracting and to stop plans for future contracting.

The Company responded to some of the Unions information request and the Committee spent the rest of the day reviewing the information that was provided.

The Regional Committee is scheduled to meet with the Company tomorrow morning to receive information on the utilization on the medical plans.

We must continue to stand strong and get our message out that we are more committed than we’ve ever been to fight to protect our wages, benefits and working conditions.

IBEW and CWA District 1 met with the Company today in Rye New York where the Company made a presentation on Excise tax, which is a potential tax on health care plans related to the Affordable Care Act.

Last week, in the Company’s propaganda they boasted about offering a wage increase to 38,000 workers. As usual, when dealing with this greedy corporation the devil is in the details.

Here are some of the other things that Verizon has proposed:

JOB SECURITY– Remove the protections against layoffs and forced transfer.

NO COLA

CORPORATE PROFIT SHARING at risk if not settled by certain date. Eliminate the minimum payout.

DIFFERENTIALS AND PREMIUM PAY -Eliminate Saturday and Sunday Differentials and premium pay. Tour differentials only paid for time worked between 9pm and 6 am. Eliminate all but 10% differential.

SUNDAY TOURS- Include Sunday as part of basic work week.

OVERTIME – only paid after 40 hours worked. No payment of more than one and half time
(1 ½ X). Eliminate caps on Overtime.

TECH CHANGE NOTICE- reduce notice given to the Union of any major technological change

BENEFITS- the Company proposes major reductions in medical benefits including higher deductibles, co-pays, premiums and co-insurance. The Company also proposed to remove the Unions ability to negotiate retiree health care benefits. Eliminate Class II/Sponsored Child coverage.

PENSIONS- Eliminate the lump sum pension. In addition, employees would have to choose between a pension which would be frozen and an enhanced 401K. If you choose Pension – No 401K match. If you choose 401K enhanced (100%)-Your Pension freezes.
401K Plan changes- begin charging a quarterly administration and a $50 fee for processing new loans.

DISABILITY BENEFITS- Eliminate Accident Disability Plan. Establish a rolling 5 years period for 100% payment on Sickness Disability. Once 100% is used – members are paid 50% (currently full pay benefits recycle after being back at work for 13 weeks)

CALL SHARING- give the Company additional leeway to route calls out of our bargaining units and to contractors while giving contractors the handling of all new products and services.

TEMPORARY ASSIGNMENTS– Ability to transfer employees to any state in Verizon footprint.

TUITION ASSISTANCE- Expanding the list of “Excluded” studies

FORCE ADJUSTMENT PLAN- changes to the FAP that would eliminate job security provisions.

WORK FAMILY- Reduce funding by $900,000. Added limitations if not agreed to by a certain date.

INCOME PROTECTION PLAN – Would require employees to sign a Disclaimer to receive an IPP.

This is not a Company facing a financial crisis. They are extremely profitable. This is not a Company coming to its union employees seeking ways to work together to face the challenges of the future. Their proposals seek to destroy our future.

We need to send a very clear message that this is not acceptable, that we will not be passive as they seek to gut our contract.
MOBILIZE!!!

The System Council T6 and CWA District 1 Regional Bargaining Committees met with the Company today at the Rye Town Hilton in Rye, NY. The Regional Committee passed many proposals today that looked to improve the working conditions and quality of life for our members. We are still waiting for information and data that we have requested from the Company pertaining to many important topics of bargaining. This data is crucial and needed to accurately move forward with bargaining.

IBEW New England will begin meeting with the Company on local issues in the morning. This will open the local table and going forward, regional and local issues will be bargained simultaneously.
Regional and local bargaining will resume again on Monday, June 29, 2015 in Rye, N.Y.

We need to continue to stand strong and get our message out that we are more committed than we’ve ever been to fight to protect our wages, benefits and working conditions. Also if you are not receiving our email updates please see your steward and give them your email address to be added.

IBEW New England/ New York and CWA District One Regional Bargaining Committee met with the company today, on several occasions, in Westchester, NY. The first session of the day focused on the questions the bargaining committee had for the company on some of their proposals. In addition to the questions, we also requested information regarding their proposals.

During the second session, the Union Committee made it abundantly clear, to the Company with a proposal on job security and emphasized how important this issue is to the Union and our Members. We pointed out numerous examples where the Company has declared surplus after surplus, as they continue with their plans to contract out work our Members perform. We also expressed our disgust for their proposal to eliminate job security. We believe every member should have this protection and rather than continue to contract out our work, allow our members to perform it.

This round of bargaining is not going to be easy and the only way for us to be successful is for our membership to be UNITED and to MOBILIZE so the greedy executives at Verizon understand we will do whatever it takes to gain a fair and just contract.

Please be sure to wear RED tomorrow and join in the informational pickets

CWA Districts 1, 2-13 as well as IBEW New York (NY), New England (NE) and New Jersey (NJ) opened negotiations with Verizon today. CWA District 1 and IBEW NY and NE are negotiating for new contracts at the Rye Town Hilton in Westchester County. CWA Districts 2-13 as well as IBEW NJ are negotiating for new contracts in Philadelphia. Dennis Trainor, Vice President District 1 gave an opening statement to the Company at the Regional Bargaining table in NY. Dennis closed his statement by stating, “We are united in our commitment to grow with Verizon. The Company cannot keep claiming surplus after surplus while hiring more contractors or moving our work. It is not fair to our members and your employees to tell them there are too many of them but yet you need contractors to do their work.

We are united in our commitment to fight for fairness – we are the foundation upon which the success of Verizon rests. We have helped to boost the company’s earnings and productivity even through a global recession. It is now our turn to share equitably in that growth.
When workers at Verizon improve their living standards through collective bargaining, all of our communities also benefit.
When CWA and IBEW members succeed at the bargaining table, when we secure a better standard of living for our members, we help to boost the entire U.S. economy.
Verizon- it is time to stop the greed. Enough of the givebacks. It is time to negotiate a contract that is fair to your employees, one that protects good union jobs and that gives our membership the opportunity to grow with the company.

Verizon- it’s time to set the right priorities in these negotiations. This means meeting its responsibilities to employees, as well as investors, executives and consumers.”

After opening statements, Verizon gave the Unions an insulting and retrogressive comprehensive proposal. In addition to the proposal, Verizon also began their propaganda campaign in the media and with direct emails to our members. The Regional Bargaining Committee has adjourned for today and will resume tomorrow to review the Company’s proposal.

The Regional Bargaining Committee attended a rally tonight at the Rye Town Hilton, which was hosted by Local 1103. The rally was a huge success and was attended by hundreds of CWA and IBEW members from New York State and New England.

I was unable to attend tonight’s rally at 234 Washington St but I’ve been told it was a successful turn-out. I want to thank all of the members who took the time to attend. It is imperative that our members continue to mobilize for what may be the fight of our lives with this greedy corporation.

Bargaining for a new contract with Verizon is scheduled to begin today. Both the IBEW & CWA bargaining teams are committed to bring back a fair contract. Over the next coming weeks, no doubt many rumors will circulate, we ask to stay informed with factual information. In addition to the union website and information tape a Facebook page has been started for IBEW New England members. Please take a moment to like this page and keep informed.

To kick off the 1st day of bargaining with Verizon IBEW & CWA locals throughout the region will be holding Rallies to show Verizon we are UNITED and committed to getting a fair contract. Please make every effort to attend and show support.